Search form

Matt Gentry Advances to Quarterfinals at the University Nationals

Evanston, Ill. - Stanford's nine entrants in the University Nationals Freestyle division began competition today at the Welsh-Ryan Arena and McGaw Hall on the campus of Northwestern University, with volunteer assistant coach and 2004 NCAA Champion Matt Gentry leading the Cardinal, as he earned a spot in the quarterfinals at 74 kg. Despite setbacks, redshirt freshman Luke Feist and sophomore Phil Doerner will also continue wrestling tomorrow, as both are still in the consolation bracket at 84 kg and 120 kg, respectively.

Gentry opened with three straight wins, including an opening round pin over Tiger Wrestling Club's John Andrews in 1:23. Gentry added a 2-0, 5-0 blanking of Joey Knox from UT-Chattanooga and a 1-1, 5-2 victory over Pitt's Matt Kocher, and will wrestle Bobby Latessa of Harvard in the quarterfinals.

At 84 kg, Feist suffered a tough first round loss to Iowa State's Jake Varner, but is still going in the wrestleback bracket and won three-straight today, beginning with a pin and then adding a 3-0, 2-1 victory over Arizona State's Patrick Pitsch, the 2006 Pac-10 Champion at 165 pounds. Feist also tabbed a 6-3, 5-3 victory over Nathaniel Augustson and will continue in the consolation bracket against Cornell's Michael Moore.

Doerner won his opening match at 120 kg, but was knocked into the consolation bracket after a tough 6-4, 5-4 loss to Navy's Ed Prendergaust. Doerner will take on A.J. Brooks in his first consolation match.

The tournament ended for Stanford's other entrants, with sophomore Scott Loescher, who placed fifth in Greco-Roman yesterday, leaving the field at 74 kg due to injury and the other Cardinal wrestlers each dropping a pair of bouts. Ray Blake, who finished his collegiate eligibility this season, was knocked out in the first round by Northwestern's Jake Herbert, the 2006 NCAA Runner-Up, but Blake rebounded to post one win, a pin at 1:10 over Firebears Wrestling's Tom Baranoski.